Three defendants sentenced for gang related shooting spree - 03/03/15On February 26, 2015, Anthony Pena, Pablo Serrano, and juvenile David Hernandez-Fragua were sentenced in Marion County Circuit Court for their involvement in a gang related shooting spree that occurred in Salem on November 25, 2014. Two individuals were shot and injured during the spree. Anthony Pena and David Hernandez-Fragua were also sentenced for two other incidents that occurred on November 28, 2014 and December 6, 2014, respectively.

On November 25, 2014, Pena drove Serrano and Hernandez-Fragua to the residence of a rival gang member in Northeast Salem. Witnesses reported that Serrano fired at the rival gang member, hitting him twice. Later that same night, as Pena drove the trio, they spotted a second rival gang member who was walking on Sunnyview Road. Serrano then shot at the rival gang member, striking and wounding him. The trio then returned to the scene of the first shooting and fired a single shot in the direction of three people standing outside, hitting a parked car.

None of the suspects were immediately apprehended, but the Salem Police Gang Enforcement Team continued to investigate the case. Three days later, on November 28, 2014, "Black Friday," Pena and Serrano approached two individuals at Lancaster Mall and Pena pointed a loaded firearm at them, telling them, "I just want to cap somebody today." Police were notified and captured Pena and Serrano outside the mall after a brief chase. During the chase, Pena discarded a firearm and ammunition but it was recovered. It was not the same caliber firearm involved in the November 25, 2014 shootings.

Anthony Pena, 20, pled guilty to two counts of Attempted Murder, one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and one count of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm. For these crimes, Pena was sentenced to 24 and ?1/2 years in prison. Pena will not be eligible for any form of early release, reduction in sentence or alternative incarceration programs.

Pablo Serrano, 19, pled guilty to two counts of Attempted Murder with a Firearm and two counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon with a Firearm. Serrano was sentenced to 15 and ?1/2 years in prison. Serrano will not be eligible for any form of early release, reduction in sentence or alternative incarceration programs.

David Hernandez, 16, the only juvenile offender, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Murder in adult court and was sentenced to 90 months in prison. His sentence will be served at the direction of the Oregon Youth Authority and he will not be eligible for any form of early release, reduction in sentence or alternative incarceration programs.

Hernandez also pled guilty in adult court to Assault in the First Degree for stabbing and injuring a man on December 6, 2014. He was sentenced to 90 months in prison, to run concurrently with the sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Murder.

All three defendants are known gang members.

Villanueva Sentenced - 02/11/15Today, Gustavo Villanueva (DOB 10/12/1970) was sentenced on the charge of Manslaughter in the First Degree for his participation in the death of his wife, Maribel Gutierrez-Salinas (DOB 2/8/1974). The Honorable Dale W. Penn sentenced Gustavo Villanueva to a term of 180 months in the Department of Corrections followed by a term of Post Prison Supervision (20 years minus time served). Villanueva pled guilty to the charge on January 6, 2015 before the Honorable Jamese L. Rhoades.

The case stemmed from the February 14, 2011 disappearance of Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas. On September 1, 2012, a hunter found human remains in a rural area near Gates, Oregon. Through the persistence of Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas' family, the Marion County Sheriff's Office and it's Cold Case Squad, the Tualatin Police Department and Keizer Police Department, those remains were positively identified as Maribel Gutierrez-Salinas. The Medical Examiner determined the cause of death was "homicidal violence of undetermined type."

An investigation into the circumstances of Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas' disappearance revealed that she was last seen alive when her husband, Villanueva, picked her up from work at the Agave Grill in Tigard, Oregon on the night of February 14, 2011. Villanueva's behavior following Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas' disappearance was suspicious and included a variety of inconsistent explanations for her disappearance. Marion County Sheriff's detectives discovered that Villanueva was in the Gates area two days after Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas went missing. Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas' personal identification and other significant items were later found in Villanueva's possession. Villanueva maintained that he had no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding his wife's death, except at one point when he told police that it was an accident.

On August 26, 2013, Villanueva was arrested by the Laredo Police Department, in Texas, and extradited to Oregon where he has remained in custody pending trial. On January 6, 2015, Villanueva pled guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree for his participation in causing the death of Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas. In imposing Villanueva's sentence today, The Honorable Dale W. Penn ordered that Villanueva will not be entitled to programming, including earned good time.

The Marion County District Attorney's office thanks the agencies that partnered in the investigation and Villanueva's apprehension. Those agencies include the Marion County Sheriff's Office, Marion County and State of Oregon Medical Examiners, Tualatin Police Department, Keizer Police Department and Laredo Police Department.

Villanueva Sentencing - 02/10/15On January 6, 2015, Gustavo Villanueva pled guilty to Manslaughter in the First Degree before The Honorable Jamese L. Rhoades. The charge stems from the February 14, 2011 disappearance of his wife, Maribel Gutierrez-Salinas from the Tigard, Oregon area. Ms. Gutierrez-Salinas' remains were found in September, 2012 in rural Marion County near Gates, Oregon.

Villanueva is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, February 11, 2015 at 1:30pm at the Marion County Courthouse by The Honorable Dale W. Penn.

Booking Photo

OSP Pursuit Suspect Arraigned On Attempted Aggravated Murder Charge (Photo) - 02/04/15Today, Gustavo Isabel Vega, age 22 years, was arraigned on the charges of Attempted Aggravated Murder, Delivery of Heroin, Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, Criminal Mischief in the First Degree, Reckless Driving, and Resisting Arrest, stemming from an incident on Friday, January 30, 2015. This incident involved an Oregon State Police pursuit, in which the Marion County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation.

The Honorable Janet Klapstein ordered the defendant held without bail on the Attempted Aggravated Murder charge. Ted Coran was appointed to represent the defendant. The next court appearance was set for February 10, 2015 at 8:30 AM at the Marion County Court Annex located at 4000 Aumsville Highway, Salem, Oregon.